The Matrix 4 loses Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith

Though The Matrix 4 has been slowly gathering a pretty fantastic cast, including returning franchise stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, there’s still one star that won’t be returning: Agent Smith actor Hugo Weaving.

In an interview with Time Out, Weaving recently revealed that he would not be making an appearance in one of his most famous roles in the film due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict.

Instead of diving back into the Matrix, Weaving will be starring on stage at the National Theatre in London for his play The Visit. The show is set to open on 31 January and run until 13 May.

“It’s unfortunate but actually, I had this offer [for The Visit] and then the offer came from The Matrix, so I knew it was happening but I didn’t have dates,” he said.

“I thought I could do both and it took eight weeks to work out that the dates would work — I held off on accepting [a role in The Visit during that time]. I was in touch with Lana Wachowski, but in the end, she decided that the dates weren’t going to work. So we’d sorted the dates and then she sort of changed her mind. They’re pushing on ahead without me.”

Jada Pinkett Smith is set to return as Niobe alongside Reeves and Moss. The new cast is made up of Neil Patrick Harris (A Series Of Unfortunate Events), Jessica Henwick (Marvel’s Iron Fist), Toby Onwumere (Sense8), Max Riemelt (Sense8), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Mirror), who is rumoured to be playing a younger version of Morpheus.

The Matrix 4 is being directed by franchise co-creator Lana Wachowski, from a script written by Wachowski, Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. The film will be the first in the series that Wachowski hasn’t worked on with her sister Lily. Lana Wachowski is also producing with her long-time collaborator Grant Hill, and filming is expected to begin at the start of 2020.

The Matrix 4 will hit cinemas in 2022. Get all the latest sci-fi news with every issue of SciFiNow.